Connecticut western news., 1887-11-09
VERMONT'S MONOPOLY,
A Pool that has Controlled Prices
 About to be Broken.

Rutland, yt., Nov. 1.-The greatest combi- nation that Vermont has ever known the Producers Marble Company-is now about to ke broken. This is very important action for the business interests of Rutland county, be- cause, ever since it's organization, this great combine has controlled the prices of both rough and finished marble stock throughout the world. There arc many reasons for breaking np tho pool, but tho principal one IS that for long time the smaller companies in the pool have felt that they were not doing as well as if they were outside and independent, and that the Vermont Marble Company, which is & great combination of itself, with shrewd and far-seeing ex-Gov. Proctor at it's head, has all along had the best of the bargain. AS an il- lustration, it is cited ly marble men outside the pool that previous to the organization of the Producers Company, four years ago, Shel- don & Sons, who are among the oldest dealers in the State, were doing prosperous busi- ness and making money out of their Boston yard, while to-day they arc operating with the Producers Company under great burdens.
 The Sheldons have done and are still doing an extensive business, and are the second largest producers of marble in the country. They opened their first quarry in 1S44, and since then have opened several others on the same property, one of which IS the famous Covered" quarry, 250 feet deep. During the ten years following the close of the war, the firm did very prosperous business, having several large contracts, one of which was fur nishing 245,0 lettcred headstoncs for sol diers graves in National cemeteries, the con- tract amounting to $S6I,0O Tho Sheldons have suffered greatly by entering the combi- nation, and will be only too glad to secure release in January and break up the pool which they can do as the contract expires by limitation at that time.
 The Producers Marble Company was organ ized on Jan. 1, 1888, with the solo object of equalizing prices and maintaining uniform rate throughout the country for the benefit of marble workers. The company handles the products of five of the largest marblc-pro- ducing companies in the world, viz: the Yer mont Marble Company, Sheldon & Sons, the Dorset Marble Company, Ripley Sons, and Gibson X Woodfn. The home offices of the and offices in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland. Toledo, De- troit, St. Louis, Kansas City and San Fran cisco.
 F The entire product of all the companies above mentioned is put into pool upon q basis that is calculated to give each company an equitable share of the business, but the plan has not operated to the entire satisfac- ton of all. One thing that has made mem- bers uneasy is the construction of the Pitts ford and Clarendon railroad by the Vermont Marble Company. Here is another illustra- ton of Gov Proctor's far-sightedness. An ticipating the dissolution of the Producers Company, he began last summer the construc- tion of railroad from Pittsford through Rut- land to Clarendon, thus connecting all the principal marble quarries by rail and putting the Vermont Marble Company in a position to control the rough stock supply of the State and furnish the same to the finishing shops a' it's own pleasure. The Vermont Marble Com pany handles 60 per cent. of all the marble auarricd in the State. The company employs more than ,OOO men, and it's annual product exceeds sl .OOo. 900 in value.